November 4, 2016

People will often tell you they are voting for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president because she is the lesser of two evils, but I would venture to say that she is extremely qualified for the job and has the potential to be one of the most effective presidents in recent history.

Clinton has spent the last 30 years of her life in public service. From her early years at the Children’s Defense Fund, to supporting the first responders in New York after 9/11, she has been a strong force for good in our country.

Clinton has learned a lot in her long career about how to get things done and how to accomplish real, observable change. Unlike her opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump, she understands that making progress is often difficult and that there is no glamour or personal gain involved.

Clinton has shown her willingness to compromise for the sake of progress by reaching across the aisle to achieve her goals in a non-partisan manner. She is certainly not a revolutionary candidate, but that does not mean that she is opposed to change, she simply knows that change comes slowly.

Clinton’s opponent, on the other hand, says that he wants a revolution. He labels himself as an outsider. He does not understand that without some bipartisan support, he will accomplish nothing and continues to make enemies with both Democrats and Republicans.

Trump often says things about immigration that illustrate his utter lack of knowledge and empathy. As students at a Jewish school and members of the Jewish community, we must all remember that our people have often been strangers and that we were often denied refuge in other countries out of fear. Therefore, it is our obligation to welcome the stranger. Jewish values dictate that we love our neighbors as we would like them to love us.

A Clinton presidency would mean a continuation of the domestic successes of President Obama, along with improved foreign policy and a more experienced approach to world affairs. Clinton’s experience with foreign affairs has shown us that she is a shrewd diplomat, who understands the minutia of foreign policy as well as anyone in the world.

Clinton’s presidency would also be a turning point for another reason: she would be the first female president. Clinton has been a trailblazer for women around the world since her days as first lady, when she proclaimed to the world that, “Human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights, once and for all.”

Trump, on the other hand, has shown a repeated pattern of disrespect for women. He has said vulgar things about them, not only in 2005, but also throughout this election season, such as his remarks about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.

In addition, Clinton’s plans on nearly every issue simply make more sense than her opponent’s. The Clinton tax plan would lower taxes for the poor and middle class, while still collecting enough money to fund government operations. Trump’s plan involves dramatically lowering taxes for all Americans, which would have disastrous implications for the nation’s debt.

Clinton has plenty of her own problems concerning privacy, and she has never been as transparent as she is capable of being, but these are minor flaws in an otherwise very strong candidate. Her opponent is an irredeemable xenophobe, with tremendous character flaws, who has no knowledge of what is required to be president.

It is on these grounds that I endorse Hillary Clinton for President of the United States of America.